Fae continue her usual cycle of activity when her door suddenly burst open.
'Again...' thought Fae silently.
"Fae! We have returned!" Hany grinned while waving her hand. She had accompanied her brother for mission this week and didn't bother Fae for a while. During this period of peace time, Fae spend them to studying and reading.
Fae nod. Looking at the vigorous Hany, she could guess that they only choose the lowest rank of mission that's easy to do and could be completed by ordinary squire. With that kind of mission, how could this airhead failed?
"Geez, can't you at least pretend that you're interested? I'm not talking to a wall you know," Hany took a chair and sits down. "What are you studying now? Hmm, are you thinking to become a researcher?"
Researcher is one of the occupation available to ordinary people through academy. Their job is mainly to test about some new things and compile their research. This occupation is no longer that popular and many people were tired with how many things they need to remember. Other than some untalented magician who couldn't advance more than novice rank due to their talent, only some ordinary people still applying.
"Well, yes," Fae shrugged. She doesn't have much interest to work as a civil worker and since she is an orphan, obtaining family business is impossible. Not to mention, with her personality, she wouldn't be able to open a new business.
"I thought there would be no one who want to be a researcher anymore," Hany commented.
"Oh."
"Can't you say anything else?" grunted Hany.
Fae stay silent before shaking her head. What does she want her to say anyway? It's her decision anyway and she didn't really want to talk about the reason to. Without talking anymore, Fae took out her bag and clean up her desk.
"Where do you want to go?"
"There's a test today."
"What test?"
"Qualification test for researcher. It held every three months and today is the test day."
Hany jumped out from her chair. "What? Why didn't you tell me about it? Can I watch it? Where it held?"
Fae found it funny. How could she told these kind of things to her if what she do is always dragging her to every kind of thing? However, she still answered casually and not pointed it out. "You can watch it, it's in the observation hall."
"Got it! I will call for Second Bro and we will cheer for you!"
With that Hany storm out of the room and nearly crash into another student who coincidentally walk on the hall. From her room, Fae could hear the screams of those surprised students and some yelling very clearly. That Hany would surely got another scolding when she meet her teacher the next day.
Fae smile slightly while walking to the observation hall. Now she no longer found Hany action to be weird as she had watch that peculiar behavior of hers for nearly half a year now.
In a short moment Fae had arrived at the hall and looking around, there are only two other students aside from her. Fae shake her head, researcher popularity sure had dropped a lot. Although this academy is not the best academy in the kingdom, it is one of the best and the number of students amounted to thousands, yet this occupation still empty.
Fae took one of the seats and wait patiently. The other two students also didn't talk as they silently review their notes. It didn't take long before an elderly professor come and smile at them then explaining the test.
The test is simple, they would be tested on general knowledge in short interview, then paper, after that is a practice of analyzing an object they had prepared.
"Let's begin the test then," the professor called one of the other two student to the front and stars asking some basic question. Fae didn't pay much attention and look around before her eyes arrived at some side of the hall for a few moment then turned to Hany and Harry who had arrived and watch quietly. This time, even a troublemaker like Hany know how to keep quiet.
"Fae."
"Here."
"Let's see. What is the essence of magic stone?"
Magic stone are some peculiar stone capable to storing magic in this world. Fae opened her mouth. "Magic stone are stone capable to hold magic, so there would be trace of magic should the stone were touched by magician. As for ordinary people, they would find it either hard on their hand or soft. There are 2 types of magic stone. The first one is capable to absorb magic and the second one is capable to produce magic."
"What is the suitable temperature to test durability of a strange wood?"
And many more. Fae keep on answering without any hesitation as if she had remembered all of it like the back of her hand. Hearing her fluent answer, even the judges were astonished because many of her answer sound like first hand experience. It's impossible though, she is after all only a 14 years old girl.
After that come paper test and in a short moment, Fae had already answered all of them and submitted the paper. She returned to her seat and close her eyes, resting. Following after her, the other two participant also finished their test and submitted them.
"It's really hard..."
"Yeah, I know... those professor sure are great to be able to memorize all of these."
Fae opened her eyes and look at the other two who had been talking a bit. They look pale and Fae know, they hadn't answered that well in the test. For ordinary people, researcher is just one hard occupation, but for poor talent magic, researcher are their only lifeline to dabble in an occupation still connected to magic.
At that moment the professor returned and announce the result, only Fae pass.
"She passed!" Hany look toward Harry with excitement.
"There is still the third test, don't make that much of a fuss," Harry said helplessly. The test hadn't ended yet, but Hany had already itching to create a fuss.
"Next, miss Fae, please try to examine this stone."
Fae turn to to the table that they had brought out. On top of it is a small stone around the size of a ping-pong ball with pale blue color. Her eyes sharpened for a moment, then relaxed again. Even from afar she would always recognize that small stone, the [Iphrit].
[Iphrit] is the stone real name, but many people only know it as the spirit stone. It's a stone capable to produce a special kind of magic that's very mysterious. Also, [Iphrit] is rare so the number of people having it was limited and it's treated as treasure. The stone can release that magic once every a certain amount of time and the magic could treat curse, a type of forbidden magic that cannot be healed through ordinary means.
Unfortunately, not many people know the existence of this stone so curses is always a forbidden topic in the kingdom. The news about the stone are guarded and controlled heavily to avoid people searching for these rare stone because this kind of stone only exist in dangerous places.
Fae walk to the stone slowly and stop in front of it. She could faintly feel the weak spirit inside the small stone, it seems the stone had just been used. Slowly she waved her hand once above the stone then turned to the professor.
"A type of magic stone that's very peculiar. Blue color represent air or water element and with the cool sensation at the top of it, this stone might be the type that could release magic out. The amount is unknown because the sensation are very weak and the help of magician is required to confirm the magic inside."
The professor nodded. Fae is known to be an ordinary person and ordinary person should know their limit. With this test, they had seen that Fae didn't just very knowledgeable, but she also know her place very well. Her initial impression of the magic stone could be called very correct and within the limit of what ordinary researcher should know about it.
"Good, you pass, Fae."
Fae smile slightly, but the professor in front of her suddenly feel like she is very cold. Nevertheless, that impression is only a short moment and her words quickly break that sensation.
"Thanks."
"Here is your badge."
Fae took it then walk toward Hany and Harry who look happy for her.
"Congratulation for becoming a researcher, now you could freely roam in many place."
"With her personality, I doubt it."
"Thank you, Sis Han, and Brother Harry."
The three of them walk out from the hall. There are not many things for Fae to do because although she had passed her test, her age still indicate her as student. Because of that, it doesn't matter even if she still stay at school to study.
The moment the three of them no longer seen, a figure appeared from the spot Fae had stopped looking before.
"Lord Hall," the professor all bowed.
"You are dismissed," that man said flatly. He turned to look at where Fae had gone with her friends before and his lips perked up. "What an interesting girl."
-End of chapter 2